Green Plantain Chips with Spicy Chile Sauce

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer

4-5 green plantains, peeled, sliced ¼” thick
Canola oil for pan frying
Kosher salt
Plenty of paper towels

Chilito (sauce)
2 Jalapeño peppers, seeded, deveined, in chunks
½ cup onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled, left whole
3 limes, juiced
1/8 – ¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Make the chilito sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a blender and puree to a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil. Heat a deep heavy skillet with about one inch in depth of Canola oil. Add one plantain slice and make sure the oil “sizzles” and is bubbly before adding the rest of the plantain slices. Pan fry in batches and do not overcrowd the skillet.

Pan fry #1. Pan fry the plantain slices and cook to medium brown on both sides, about one and a half minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat this procedure until all plantains slices are fried.

Pan fry #2. Flatten each fried plantain slice with the back of a small skillet covered with film. Pan fry the flattened slices a second time, and transfer to a plate lined with fresh paper towels and season with salt.

Serve warm with the Chilito sauce.